Legends of the Calafarina cave
Three different legends tell of a mysterious treasure hidden in the Calafarina cave in Marzamemi.
A first legend is the legend of the Emir's widow , and has its roots at the time of the Arab domination in Sicily. The widow of an Arab emir who fell in combat against the Normans, accompanied by her son and a caravan loaded with treasures, headed for Marzamemi to sail from there to Egypt. The woman, worried that her enormous wealth could be plundered by pirates during the journey, ordered that the treasure be buried inside a nearby cavity. The slaves who carried out the order were subsequently murdered so that they could not reveal the exact location. Even today it is rumored that their souls have been trapped in the cave and that, on February nights, their lamentations ring out in the darkness, invoking the name of who will be able to break the spell to find the great treasure. > The second legend is the legend of Zoraide and the immortal fish and also dates back to the Arab era in Sicily. According to tradition, in that period, above the Calafarina cave, there was a Moorish castle. The building was allegedly conquered by the Byzantine general Maniace, who gave it to his daughter Zoraide so that she could live there surrounded by wealth. The Byzantine general was soon killed by his own wife, Zoe, who plotted together with the new emperor Constantine. Before dying, Maniace revealed to her daughter how to spell the treasure. Zoraide later died in battle but, before dying, he managed to throw an enchanted ring into the sea, which was eaten by a fish made so immortal. According to the legend, only those who will be able to find the rare marine fruits that this fish eats and to catch it, will be able to get their hands on the treasure kept in the cave of Calafarina.
The third legend is the legend of Cala Farina. It certainly narrates Cala Farina, sent to Sicily as viceroy by King Varvalonga, who, having arrived in Marzamemi, began to accumulate immense wealth. One day, the king summoned him to court and Cala Farina ordered his daughter to protect his treasure, also saying to kill himself in case of his non-return. Cala Farina was killed and his daughter, not seeing him return, took her own life as requested by her father. According to legend, the spell that guards the immense treasure of Cala Farina can be broken by saying the exact words the girl said before she died.
